France Rugby Team Suffers Rare Summer Tour Losses Against New Zealand
The France rugby team ended their New Zealand tour with three losses, a first in seven years under coach Galthié.
Key Points
- • XV de France suffered three consecutive defeats in New Zealand, their first such result in seven years.
- • The team was heavily impacted by injuries, missing many key players.
- • The opener was a close match, with France narrowly losing 31-27.
- • Despite the losses, coach Galthié noted improvements in defense and player performances.
The France national rugby team, known as XV de France, wrapped up their challenging summer tour in New Zealand with a disappointing record of three consecutive defeats, marking their first such outcome in seven years under coach Fabien Galthié. The losses came against a formidable All Blacks team and highlighted significant challenges faced by the French squad throughout the series.
Injuries played a crucial role in the team's struggles, with key players such as Baille, Gros, and Dupont unable to participate. This resulted in the selection of a largely inexperienced squad, which undoubtedly affected performance during the matches. Despite the disappointing results, Galthié praised the team's resilience and noted their promising moments, particularly during the opening match that ended narrowly at 31-27 in favor of New Zealand.
The second match demonstrated a stark difference in physicality, as the All Blacks overwhelmed the French team, resulting in a heavy defeat of 43-17. However, the final match saw a slight improvement, with France losing 29-19 yet showing better defensive strategies and engagement throughout the game.
Notable performances included young player Mickaël Guillard, who emerged as a standout, while other players struggled to establish their impact on the field. Galthié acknowledged that despite the losses, experiences gained during the tour will be instrumental for the team's development as they prepare for a new rugby cycle commencing in September.
As the team takes a break and reflects on their achievements and areas for growth this tour provided, supporters remain hopeful for a resurgence in performance moving forward into future competitions.